Overdue
by halfbloodcountess
Summary: Vader journeys to Naboo to say goodbye to Padme, and he gives advice to an expecting mother.


A/N: This is my second attempt at doing a Star Wars fic. Please no flames! Constructive criticism only!

Disclaimer: Don't own a thing…Charis, Mack, and their baby are my own characters.

A year. It had been a year since Padme's death, and Darth Vader couldn't help but feel uneasy as he remembered the day that she was taken from. What made things worse was that their baby would've had it's first birthday. He often wondered if the baby was a boy or a girl for they didn't want to know the gender until it was time for the baby to come. He liked to believe that it had been a girl, although he secretly wondered what would it had been like had the child had been a boy instead.

A boy…he believed that the baby would've looked just like him, if he hadn't have gotten burned on Mustafar. The baby would've had blue eyes and blond hair, just like him. Maybe he would've inherited his mother's height too, small in stature, but a big heart. A girl on the other hand, would've been a different story. He always imagined that their baby girl would've been a mirror image of Padme. She would have her hair and her eyes, and her height too, and just as beautiful.

A lot can change in a year, and the changes were grand indeed. Having to learn to get use to his new suit was a difficult challenge. His Master had assured him that he would learn to live with the suit, but it didn't change the fact that in reality, he hated it. In his mind, Vader believed that it was Palpatine's way of letting within his apprentice to grow stronger. Vader couldn't deny that it actually worked. Despite the fact that he was more machine than man, the power that he had within his grasp, was something that he would never take back. It was what he always wanted, but the price was the life of his wife and their unborn child.

As Vader looked out the window of his quarters, he saw Padme's old space apartment. For some reason, a chill flowed through his body as he remembered all the times that he had spent with his wife there. One memory in particular stood out.

_Padme stood on the balcony of the apartment brushing her hair. Anakin looked upon his pregnant wife and smiled. He had never seen her look so beautiful before. Her pregnancy gave her a glow that wasn't there before. _

_Despite all the chaos that was going on in the galaxy, Anakin saw the upcoming birth of their child as a light in the darkness. He knew that things would be hard, but he believed that this child would bring them hope._

_Padme turned to Anakin. "Ani, I want to have our baby back on Naboo. We can go to the lake country were no one would no…I can go early and fix the baby's room! I know the perfect spot: right by the gardens."_

He remembered how Padme had already planned what color room she wanted, clothes, toys, everything! He had never seen her look so happy in his life. Now, he only wished that he could see her once more…

This past year, his master had encouraged him to forget about her; that she was gone and there was no point in dwelling on the past. Yet, there was still that emptiness inside of him that he no matter how much power or how many people he killed, it could never be filled. He hadn't even gone to go visit his late wife's grave…

Vader turned away from the window.

_Don't do this to yourself. She's gone now, and nothing will bring her back._

Despite what his mind was telling him, he needed to do something to mark the anniversary of her death. Only then, could he really let her go.

He decided to go back to Naboo and pay his respects to Padme. He didn't plan to stay there long; he was just going to say goodbye to all that was left that made him human.

The journey through the galaxy wasn't as long as he thought that it was going to be. He wasn't so sure if it was the Force or if he was flying to fast, but for whatever reason, he made it to Naboo while it was still nightfall on Padme's home planet. Vader decided to land in a secluded area. He was grateful that it was dark for he didn't want to attract any attention. As soon as he got off his ship, he could here the sounds of the waterfalls.

It brought him back to the time that he and Padme had a picnic in meadows and how beautiful the waterfalls looked. He had never seen anything like it before! As much as he was grateful that it was dark, he kind of wished that there was some light so that he could have a look at the beautiful planet were he and Padme had fallen in love.

He was able to find her grave with no trouble. The only light that was used were torch lights and there also some statues. He slowly walked to it, as if wanting still hold on to the fact that she was still alive. He slowly placed his hand on her gravestone which read:

**Padme Amidala**

**Queen, Senator, Daughter, Sister, Friend, and Mother **

**May she find peace among the stars**

The writings on gravestone were perfect. Padme would've loved it, he thought. Vader did his best to compose himself, but instead he fell to his knees. Here lied the one person that he loved with all his heart, and now he would lay to rest all that was left of his humanity along with her.

"I'm sorry that I'm late Padme. I know that you've been waiting for me and I'm sorry that I made you wait so long." The wind began to blow through the trees and the waterfalls sounded like as if they had gotten louder for a second.

_Is she here? he thought. _

Brushing that aside, he kept talking.

"I hope that you are happy wherever you are, Padme. Today, I let go of everything completely including you. Everything, this place, what we had, they are from another life. And I believe that it's time to lay all that here along with you."

He thought that he heard someone weeping, but once again he cast that aside.

"Know this, I did love you, and I didn't mean to harm you. I gave you the option to stick by me, but you refused. Padme, wherever you are, know this: don't wait for me, and don't dwell on any hope that I can change."

The wind began to howl like a woman who has lost a child. Vader stood up, with his hand still on the stone. He had no flowers to place on her grave but he felt that his presence was more than enough.

He rubbed her gravestone one last time. "Goodbye, Padme. Goodbye forever."

With that he turned to leave, but he noticed that he wasn't alone. Before him, stood a woman in her early twenties with flowers in her hand.

"Who are you?" he asked, though it was more than a command then a question.

The woman trembled. "Please, milord. I just came here to pay my respects for my friend. I'm so sorry. Please don't hurt me!"

He walked closer to her. She felt like she was a helpless little ant that was about to be squashed. She was afraid that if she ran he would come after her. She hung her head, doing her best to avoid his emotionless gaze.

He cupped her chin in his hand. She almost screamed for she knew that Vader was infamous for chocking his victims.

"You didn't answer my question, so I'll ask again even though I hate repeating myself. Who are you?"

She swallowed hard. "M-my name is Charis. Senator Amidala was a friend of mine. Please don't hurt me! I beg you!" she whimpered.

Vader got a good look at the girl thanks to the torch lights. She had brown hair and brown eyes and she was dressed in blue. He looked down and noticed that she was pregnant.

He let go of her. "I notice that you are expecting." He started to place his hand on her stomach.

"No! Please don't touch me!" Charis begged, but her words fell on deaf ears. Vader began to stroke her stomach like the way he use to with Padme's. The baby began to move along with Vader's touch.

Charis stood there, trembling in fear. Her heart was pounding so loud, she thought that she could here it. She didn't why Vader was doing this. Did he all of a sudden have a change of heart? Had he done this before? What was he doing at Senator Amidala's grave?

Vader stopped and straightened up.

"Charis, it is my business on what I'm doing here at Senator Amidala's grave."

Charis' eyes widened. "How did you-?"

"I read your thoughts." he explained.

She sighed. She was thankful that Vader hadn't harmed her in any way. What she needed was to find a way to get out of this situation. She didn't want to be with him any longer than she had to.

Vader crossed his arms.

"Tell me, who is your husband?"

Charis almost started crying. The death of her husband was fairly recent. She and her husband had been married for three years and he was taken from her; leaving her alone and pregnant. She was thankful that at least a part of him would live on.

Charis began to choke on her sobs. "H-his name was Mack. H-he was taken in for questioning on the rumors of a R-rebel…a-alliance." She stopped to take a breath. Tears were already coming down, and she didn't know how much more she could take.

With all her strength, she said, "Then, he was killed when he refused to answer." She then let it all out, not caring that the Dark Lord was watching.

Vader knew who she was talking about. He had been the one who had done the questioning and who had killed Mack. Surprisingly, he didn't beg for death, but she didn't need to know that.

"I remember him. He was a tall man, he spoke on how he had a child on the way, and he begged for death. There he was, pleading on his knees just asking for me to make it quick."

He unfolded his arms. "But I didn't. I made sure that it was slow and painful."

Charis' eyes filled with hate. "How dare you do this to me! How dare you speak of my husband in this matter! He wouldn't have begged to die! You're nothing but a liar and a murderer!"

With rage, Vader lifted up his hand, preparing to force-choke her. If she wanted to be with her husband so badly, she would get her worse, but for a price.

"No! No!" She grabbed her throat, gasping for air.

Vader continued to use his power, but it wasn't on his agenda to kill her. He just wanted to let off some steam from having to visit Padme's grave. He then let her go. She grabbed onto her throat, breathing in all the oxygen that she could. She fell to her knees, crying tears of pain and joy.

She then looked up, and saw that he was looking down upon her like a giant looking down upon a smile child.

"Answer me this, Charis. Where do you live now?"

She shook her head. "I'm not telling you."

"Answer me!" he sneered.

Catching her breath she said, "I live in the lake country. I live in the same house that Senator Amidala resided in. It's a perfect place for me and my baby to live in. I just need to decide what room the baby will stay in."

_She's living were Padme and I fell in love! _ He thought about going to go back and visit the place were he and Padme had stayed at, but he knew that under the circumstances, it wouldn't work. As long as the house was occupied by someone who would use it well, he wouldn't do anything.

This girl had already been through enough, and now it was time for both of them to start their new lives: one in the lake country, and the other a life completely without Padme. For Vader, it was time to go forward, and not dwell on what happened a year ago. His humanity could now finally die out, and he would be free from all of the emotions and past hurts.

"Charis, before I leave, I have two favors to ask of you."

She wiped her eyes. "Anything, milord."

"One, you must not tell _anyone _that I was here. Next, make sure that your baby's room is right by the gardens."

She didn't understand the second request, but she would take his advice.

"I will. And thank you for sparing my life and my child's."

Vader turned on his heel and walked away. Charis never saw him again.

Some time later, Charis gave birth to a son, whom she named after Mack. She had taken Vader's advice, and she was glad that she did for the baby's room always smelled of roses because the room was right by the gardens.

Author's Note: Please read and review and no flames!


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